Steam ironing apparatus



July 16, 1957 H. L. F RICK STEAM IRONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. '1, 1954HEAD CHFNG;

D m mmawnum INVENTOR. HAIEOLj/k. FRICK ATTORNEY Saws 7 31 STEAM mourns.APPARATUS Harold L. Frick, Hamilton, Ohio, assignor to Eeachee ProductsCorporation, Hamilton, Ghio, a cerporatien of Delaware ApplicationDecember 1, 1954, Serial No. 472,333

3 Claims. (Cl. 38-3ll) This invention relates to steam ironing apparatusand more particularly to an apparatus in which a hand iron is supportedfor movement over an ironing board and is supplied with water from aremote tank to form steam for ironing.

In many hand ironing operations it is desirable to genin the name of E.E. Foster, an ironing apparatus in which an iron is supported formovement above and parallel to an ironing board and is movable downwardonto the board for ironing. If a conventional steam iron were usedinconnection with such apparatus the objections to bulk and awkwardnessof the iron would still remain and changes in weight of the iron as thewater is used would result in an unbalance of the linkage and in changesof effective weight of the iron on the board.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a steamironing apparatus in which the Water supply is not carried by theironitself but is carried by the ironing supporting linkage and conected tothe iron through a flexible tube or hose. In thisway the. bulk of theiron and the length of the tube or hose can be reduced to a minimum andthe weight of the iron will remain constant at all times. U 7

According to one feature of the invention, the water supply tank issecured adjacent the free end of one of the links in the supportinglinkage thereby to minimize or eliminate changes in the pressure head ofthe water as the free end of said link is moved in a horizontal planeabove and parallel to the ironing board.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be morereadily apparent from the following description when read in connectionwith the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a partial elevation of a steam ironing apparatus embodyingthe invention, and

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

The apparatus as shown comprises an ironing board 10 which may be of anydesired construction, but which is preferably supported as a cantileveron the supporting frame-work indicated generally at 11. The frame workat one side carries a supporting socket 12 to receive and support thelower end of the main supporting linkage for the iron. The ironing boardassembly may be constructed as more particularly described and claimedin my copending application, Serial No. 356,430, filed May 7, 1954.

A main supporting linkage is carried in the socket 12 and includes asupporting pin 13 to fit into the socket for rotation about a verticalaxis thereof. The upper end of the pin 13 is connected through ahorizontal pivot to a link 14 which is pivoted at its upper end on ahorizontal pivot to a forearm link 15. The links 14 and 15 arepreferably connected to each other and to the supporting pin, as moreparticularly described in U. S. Patent No. 2,648,146 issued to E. E.Foster, so that the free end of link 15 will move in a horizontal planeabove and parallel to the ironing board 10. v

An iron as indicated at 16 is adapted to be supported from the free endof the link 15 for universal pivotal movement relative thereto and forvertical movement onto the ironing board and for ironing articlesthereon. For supporting the iron a linkage is provided including a firstlink 17 rigidly connected to the iron 16 and a second link 18 pivoted ona horizontal axis to the link 17 and connected to the free end of thelink 15 through a ball and socket joint. The linkage 17 -18 ispreferably constructed as particularly described and claimed in mycopending application, Serial No. 462,756, filed October 18, 1954. Asdescribed in that application, a spring is provided in the linkagenormally urging the links to the position shown to elevate the ironabove the board. When the iron is pressed down the effect of the springis neutralized by a mechanism including a latch handle 19 pivoted on thehandle 21 of the iron so that the full Weight of the iron will beeffective during the ironing operation. As soon as the latch handle isreleased the linkage will raise the iron to the position shown spacedabove the board.

The iron'is supplied with electrical energy through a cord 22 whichextends from'the lower end of the link 14 and terminates in a plug 23for connection to a conventional electrical outlet. The cord extendsthrough the links 14 and 15 which are preferably tubular, as shown inFigure 2, and emerges from the link 15 near the lower free end thereof.A length of cord extends from the lower end of the link- 15 tothe ironhandle, as shown, and may be connected to the iron heating units througha regulating switch 24 as is conventional.

For steam ironing operations the iron 16 is preferably formed with asteam generating space and the sole plate of the iron may be formed withsuitable outlet openings through which the steam can pass into'andthrough the articles being ironed. Water is supplied to the steamgenerating space through a regulating valve 25 on the iron which isconnected through a flexible. tube or hose 26 to a water supply tank 27.Preferably the hose 26 lies parallel to and is periodically secured tothe electrical lead 22 by clamps or tape 30 so that the hose andelectrical lead will remain together and will not interfere with the useof the iron. The water supply tank 27 is secured to link 15 adjacent thefree end thereof by one or more straps 28. The tank is provided at itsupper end with a filler and vent opening 29.

Iron 16 is designed to properly generate steam when the water supply ismaintained within a predetermined range of pressure head variation. Twomajor factors contribute in causing changes in pressure head of thewater supply: vertical movement of the tank and changes in the depth'ofwater in the tank. Vertical movement of the tank is minimized oreliminated by securing the tank adjacent to the free end of link 15which moves only in a horizontal plane. Changes in the depth of watermay be caused by use of the water in the iron and consequent reductionof the quantity of water in the tank or by rotation or change ofposition of the tank in a horizontal plane, such as is shown in Figurel. The reduction of the quantity of water is unavoidable. The change ofdepth caused by change in position is, however, influenced by the shapeof the tank. To eliminate entirely head variation caused by change inposition, tank 27 may be spherically shaped wherein the height of thetank equals the width. In designing tank 27 the maximum depth of theWater is correlated with the shape of the tank to insure the maintenanceof the water supply within the predetermined pressure head limits of theparticular iron 16. A desire to increase the capacity or to improve theappearance of the tank may lead to a variation from the ideal sphericalshape. A preferred elongated tank having a lower spherical portion isshown in Figure 1.

In operation of the apparatus the tank 27 may be filled with Water and aclosure cap may be placed over the opening 29 to prevent spilling ofwater therefrom while providing a restricted vent opening so that thewater can run freely from the tank. When the shut-off valve 25 isopened, water will flow through the tube 26 and into the iron at a ratedetermined by the setting of the valve. Thus, the rate of water supplyand the rate of steaming can easily be controlled. If it is desired touse the iron dry the shut-01f valve 25 can be closed so that no waterwill be supplied.

With this construction there is never at any time any appreciable supplyof water in the iron so that the iron can be constructed tosubstantially the same size as the conventional dry iron and is of atotal bulk and shape to make it easy to handle. Furthermore, since nowater is carried by the iron itself the weight of the iron remainsconsant during use. The shape of tank 27 is such that when thesupporting linkage is moved to extreme position as shown by the dottedlines in Figure 1 the pressure head will change only slightly.

The feature of tank 27 in which the normal depth of the liquid isapproximately equal to the width of the container results in themaintenance of approximately constant pressure head throughout the rangeof the horizontal movement of the iron. By maintaining the pressure headapproximately constant the water flow to the steam generating chamber ofthe iron may be easily and accurately regulated in all positions of theiron.

Since no water is carried by the iron itself the weight of the ironremains constant during use. This not only means that the eflectiveironing weight of the iron will be the same at all times but,furthermore, means that the balance of the supporting linkage 1718 willnot be aflfected by changes in weight of the iron and will always exertthe proper lifting etfect on the iron when the handle 19 is released.The constant weight of the iron also insures than when the handle 19 isengaged the eflect of the lifting spring will be properlycounterbalanced so ,4 that the full weight of the iron will be on thematerial being ironed.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described indetail it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is notto be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, referencebeing had for this purpose to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam iron, 21 main linkageincluding a pair of links pivoted together for movement of the free endof one of the links in a horizontal plane above and parallel to anironing board, means connecting the iron to the free end of said one ofthe links, means for moving said iron into engagement with the board, awater tank carried by one of the links, and a water conductingconnection from the water tank to the iron.

2. A steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam iron, a main linkageincluding a pair of links pivoted together on a horizontal axis formovement of the free end of i one of the links in a horizontal planeabove and parallel to an ironing board, a supporting linkage connectingthe iron to the free end of said one of the links normally to supportthe iron above the board and movable to enable downward movement of theiron onto the board, a water tank secured to said one of the links, saidtank having a spheroidal portion located adjacent the free end of saidlink, and a Water conducting connection from the tank to the iron.

3. A steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam iron, a main linkageincluding a pair of links pivoted together on a horizontal axis formovement of the free end of one of the links in a horizontal plane aboveand parallel to an ironing board, a supporting linkage connecting theiron to the free end of said one of the links normally to support theiron above the board and movable to enable downward movement of the ironon to the board, an elongated water tank U-shaped in cross sectionenveloping and secured to said one of the links, a water conductingconnection from the tank to the iron, and a control valve in theconnection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,237,726 Taylor Aug. 21, 1917 1,823,628 Pietracetella Sept. 15, 19311,842,784 Houston Jan. 26, 1932 2,302,476 Rubinstein Nov. 17, 19422,555,639 Foster June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Patent No. 2,799,100 July 16, 1957 Harold L. Frick It ishereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of theabove numbered patent requiring correction and that the said LettersPatent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 9, for "spherical" read ---spheroidal--; line 28, for"consent" read --constant--=.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of February 1958.

Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attestlng Officer Commissioner ofPatents

